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Category Key General

Directory of Cottage Country Summer Events

Things to do in Algonquin Park include:

· 16 day trails ranging from 0.8 km to 11 km in length.
(For a description of each, visit www.algonquinpark.on.ca/mustrails.html

· mountain bike trails

· interesting nature lectures followed by guided leisurely hikes

· conducted canoe outings on a beautiful Park lake

· outdoor theatre in the evenings - films and slide shows

· public wolf howls Thursday evenings during August and in September before Labour Day

· special exhibits such as painting, photography, sculptures - art in the Park!

· mushroom and wildflower walks

· animal tracks and night noises

· spectacular visitor’s centre with exhibits on Park wildlife and human history, theater, bookstore and a breathtaking panoramic viewing deck

· logging museum

· painting classes with Look See Paint (Wednesdays and Fridays) www.lookseepaint.com

· whitewater rafting (Madawaska River) www.owl.mkc.ca

For current activities in the park, visit www.algonquinpark.on.ca/programs/thisweek.hml

Telephone the Algonquin Park Information Office at: (705) 633-5572

Time Period	Office Hours
April 14 to end of October, 2008	Daily - 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

E-mail us at: info@algonquinpark.on.ca

Festivals and Craft Shows

· Huntsville Festival of the Arts – Travel to Huntsville to hear the likes of The Downschild Blues Band and 2008 Juno award winner Serena Ryder. http://www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca/

· Group of Seven Outdoor Gallery Unveiling — Dorset Heritage Museum. Opening day of museum and unveiling of two new murals, May 16th. Museum opens: 10 a.m. Unveiling: 2 p.m. 765-5367

· Group of Seven Mural Festival —June 27^th to July 5^th. Huntsville’s Group of Seven Outdoor Gallery. Larger than life collection brings to life the art of over 20 famous works of Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven. Visitors are encouraged to stroll and enjoy the beautiful murals sprinkled throughout the downtown in any season. For more information contact Robin Brushey, Downtown Huntsville BIA, 789-1400, huntsvillebia@bellnet.ca.

· 47th Annual Muskoka Arts and Crafts Summer Show — July 17^th to 19^th. 200 artists and craftspeople show and sell original and handmade work to over 20,000 visitors. Annie Williams Park, Santa’s Village Rd., Bracebridge. Admission by donation. 645-5501, www.muskokaartsandcrafts.com.

· Baysville Walkabout- This is a delightful little festival in the Town of Baysville. The main street is shut down and there are things to buy, music to dance to and events to see. The dates of this event are listed in the newspaper, the Muskokan, watch for it, it usually occurs the last weekend in July.

Gravenhurst Opera House

This celebrated, recently restored gem of a theatre houses a wide variety of music, comedy and live theatre. www.gravenhurst.ca/townOffice/operaHouse/welcome.htm

Antique Classic Boat Show

The Antique and Classic Boat Society of Toronto will host its 29th annual boat show at the Muskoka Wharf in Gravenhurst on Saturday July 11^th from 9 am. to 5 pm. Several of the very same family utility boats that transported passengers to the ever famous 1940’s dance halls at Bigwin Island,The Royal Muskoka Hotel, Clevelands House and Windermere House will be featured at the show.

Events include boat judging, (which occurs every second year and 2009 is the year) buy and sell Field of Dreams, an opportunity to buy a project boat to fix up or a ready-to-go wood boat and the cardboard boat race, which gives children an opportunity to become master boat builders.

For more information contact www.abcs.ca

Farmer’s Market

· Gravenhurst Farmer’s Market — Opening day May 20th, free plant give away. Every Wednesday until October, 9 a.m to 2 p.m., Muskoka Wharf.

· Huntsville Farmer’s Market — Opening day May 21^st, every Thursday in the Canadian Tire Parking Lot. Huntsville. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 567-5676.

· Bracebridge Farmer’s Market — Opening day May 30^th, every Saturday until Thanksgiving. Bracebridge Memorial Park on Manitoba St. 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., www.thebracebridgefarmersmarket.com.

Boat Tours

The Segwun sails from June through October offering a variety of cruises on the Muskoka lakes. With a capacity of 99, the Segwun is the oldest operating steamship in North America and offers passengers a chance to “step back in time” to the romance and nostalgia of Muskoka’s past.

Wenonah II has joined the R.M.S. Segwun offering a variety of cruises on all three of the Muskoka lakes. Accommodating up to 200 passengers, Wenonah II combines turn-of-the-century charm with modern conveniences including air-conditioning and an on-board elevator. Passengers can enjoy three dining rooms and three decks offering the ultimate lakeview experience www.realmuskoka.com

The Lady Muskoka sails from Bracebridge, half an hour is spent on the Muskoka River, the balance out on Lake Muskoka”. The Lady Muskoka begins its sailing season May 16^th. For more information, visit www.ladymuskoka.com or email lady@muskoka.com

Music on the Barge

Sunday nights all summer there are a variety of live performances at the park at Gull Lake in Gravenhurst. You can bring folding chairs or sit on a blanket to enjoy the entertainment. This is a great way to begin your trip back to the city. Kids can move about while the performance is going on, so they do not get bored. Many children swim in the lake during the performance.

Music in the Park

At the band shell in the park in Bracebridge there are live performances all summer for your enjoyment. The music varies from Big Band to Solo to Dixieland to Folk Acoustic This is a great opportunity to expose your children to live concerts for the price of a donation. Children can dance or move about during the concerts as the park is large. Bring your own lawn chair or blankets to sit on. Every Monday and Thursday 7:30 pm for more information call 645-3037

High Falls Water Park

There are five separate waterfalls with a large sand beach. This is a wonderful place to play in the water. For more information visit www.highfallswaterpark.ca or call 705-645-1865

Rich Hill Candles

At this Bracebridge location your children can make their own candles in the candle crafting room. They can also watch chandlers handcraft candles on an antique dipping carousel. There are many interesting trinkets and gizmos to see and/or purchase.         705-645-8600

Lakes of Muskoka Cottage Brewery

Free beer tasting! Every Friday and Saturday there are tours and free tastings at the brewery. Learn about the brewing and bottling process. 1-800-881-1229    705-646-1266

Hiking Trails

Dorset Scenic Lookout Tower Trail

Length: 1.5 km linear	1.5 km linear
Rating: moderate	moderate
Duration: 30 minutes Cautions: The incline is fairly steep in places, so sturdy boots and a reasonable level of fitness are recommended. Cost: A $3 per car fee applies to access the trail from the top. Directions: Take Hwy 35 to Dorset. You may access the trail from either the top of the lookout hill or from the bottom. The lower trailhead is located on Main St. adjacent the museum. The upper trailhead is accessible via Dorset Scenic Tower Rd., just north of Dorset off Hwy 35. The trailhead is adjacent the upper parking area and privies.	30 minutes

For more information visit www.trailsandtours.com

Frost Centre Hiking Trails

Length:	2. to 10 km, stacked loop system
Rating:	easy to challenging
Duration:	Loop Dependant

All trails begin along the shores of Lake St. Nora. The Acclimatization Trail (4.0 km, moderate) is the main loop that all other trails begin and end on. The side loops are well worth the effort as they highlight many of the features Haliburton is so well-known for.
The Lakeshore Trail (0.8 km, easy) provides hikers with the option to travel out along the edge of the lake. This trail is ideal for beginners and is very picturesque along the lake.
The Fire Tower Trail (1.2 km, moderate) provides a moderate climb up to the abandoned Fire Tower. Although the fire tower is no longer accessible it is neat to look at from the ground. This trail provides a short cut option to the end of the Acclimatization Trail; the total trail distance is 2.2 km.
The Steep Rock Trail (1.8 km, moderate/challenging) and Vista Trail (1.4 km, challenging) both leave the Acclimatization trail about a third of a way along. The Steep Rock Trail is the smaller loop and travels along a rock ridge and into a wetland. The Vista Trail stacks off the Steep Rock trail and takes hikers up very steep hill to a beautiful lookout.

Cautions: The edge of the trail is quite steep at some sections; caution should be exercised.

Directions: The Frost Centre is located on Highway 35 approximately 25 km north of Carnarvon or 10 km south of Dorset. Parking and the trailhead are located at the facility’s southern entrance next to the lakeshore. For more information visit www.trailsandtours.com

Haliburton Sculpture Forest

Length:	1 km - Easy
Rating:	easy
Duration:	1/2 hour to an hour
Description:	The Haliburton Sculpture Forest, in Glebe Park near the village of Haliburton in the Haliburton Highlands of Ontario, Canada, is a unique outdoor collection of sculptures by Canadian and international artists. The trails in the Sculpture Forest—for walking and bike riding in spring, summer and fall and skiing in the winter—provide changing perspectives of the forest and the sculptures in each of the seasons. The Sculpture Forest experience, which is unstructured and unscripted, is ideal for families looking for an interesting outing, for those who enjoy outdoor trails, and for people looking for a unique artistic experience. A Sculpture Forest map is available on this website and at the entrance to the Sculpture Forest. A free guided tour of the Sculpture Forest is offered at 10:00 am on Tuesday each week in July and August. Guided tours for groups are available by special request throughout the year. There is no charge for admission in spring, summer or fall but they always welcome donations.

For more information, visit www.haliburtonsculptureforest.ca